For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
June 17, 2004
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan
The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
12:47 P.M. EDT
MR. McCLELLAN: Good afternoon. The President had a very good
Cabinet meeting earlier today. They discussed the war on terrorism,
and the progress being made on the President's five-point plan for
transitioning to a democratically elected representative government in
Iraq. Certainly, there are dangers that remain. And each step that we
take to move closer to transitioning to a sovereign, democratically
elected government, the more desperate the terrorists will become. And
they will seek to derail that transition. The President made it very
clear that they will not prevail. We are making great progress.
Iraqis are assuming more and more responsibility, and there was a
discussion of that in the Cabinet meeting. And as you heard from the
President, a free and peaceful Iraq is critical to winning the war on
terrorism and transforming a dangerous part of the world, which will
make the world a safer and better place, and America more secure.
And they also spent a good bit of the Cabinet meeting talking about
our economy, and how our economy is shifting into a higher gear. It is
continuing to grow stronger. The policies that the President advocated
and worked to pass are working to get our economy growing even
stronger. We've seen 1.4 million new jobs created since last August.
We've seen the fastest growth in some 20 years. And we're seeing real
after-tax incomes up by 11 percent since December 2000. And the
President looks forward to going to the National Federation of
Independent Business here shortly and making some remarks about our
economy, and how our economy has been through a lot, but it is showing
great promise and opportunity. It's been through a recession. It's
been through the attacks of September 11th, and the corporate scandals,
and the "March to War." And the President today is going to directly
take on the pessimists who opposed the tax relief and who pursued --
those who opposed the tax relief and the policies that we pursued to
get the economy growing stronger. He'll challenge the pessimists who
doubted that the economy was recovering, who said that businesses and
households would not spend their tax savings, and who said we were
headed for a double-dip recession. And he'll challenge the pessimists
who still don't believe in America's entrepreneurs and workers, and who
are still trying to find things that are going wrong.
And the President will talk about how going forward, we need to
continue to pursue these pro-growth, lower tax policies to see
continued economic growth over a long period of a time. And so he
looks forward to taking on those critics and their gloomy predictions
with his optimistic vision for this country.
And with that I will go straight to your questions. John.
Q Scott, I'm a little confused, and it could be a factor of
age, but I'm just wondering, you were saying this morning that the
findings of the 9/11 Commission, which definitively say that there was
no collaborative relationship between Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda, are
completely consistent with your position that there was such a
collaborative relationship. And I'm just wondering if you could
explain how those two disparate thoughts are completely consistent.
MR. McCLELLAN: Sure. If you go back and look at what the
September 11th Commission said, they talked about how there had been
high-level contacts between the regime in Iraq and al Qaeda. And they
specifically pointed out to contacts between Iraqi intelligence
officials and bin Laden in Sudan; and they talked about other
contacts. And if you go back and look at what Secretary Powell
outlined before the United Nations, this was back in February of 2003,
he talked about how we know -- this is quote, "We know members of both
organizations met repeatedly and have met at least eight times at very
senior levels since the early 1990s. In 1996, a foreign security
service tells us that bin Laden met with a senior Iraqi intelligence
official in Khartoum and later met the director of the Iraqi
intelligence service." So he talked about some of contacts in his
presentation to the United Nations.
Q Right, but the 9/11 --
MR. McCLELLAN: And that is perfectly consistent with what the
September 11th Commission talked about in their report yesterday.
Q But here's where the two positions diverge, and that is that
the 9/11 Commission says, yes, there were these contacts, but they did
not result in any kind of collaborative relationship. It means the
same thing as you and I contact each all the time, but I don't think
anybody here at the White House would account you of having --
MR. McCLELLAN: John, we made it clear a long time ago --
Q -- a collaborative relationship with me.
MR. McCLELLAN: We made it clear a long time ago that there is no
evidence to suggest that Saddam Hussein's regime was involved in the
attacks of September 11th.
Q But they say -- the 9/11 Commission is saying, not only is
there no evidence to support that or any collaboration in any other
attacks on America, but no evidence to support any kind of
collaborative relationship which you have claimed.
MR. McCLELLAN: No, if you go back and look at what Secretary
Powell said, and look at what Director Tenet said -- let me point out
what Director Tenet said, as well, let me read you facts because you're
talking about impressions, let's talk about the facts. I think you
need to look at the facts, and look at exactly what was said prior to
the decision to go into Iraq and remove that regime from power.
Here's Director Tenet to the Senate Select Committee on
Intelligence in a letter October 7, 2002:
"We have solid reporting of senior-level contacts between Iraq and
al Qaeda going back a decade. Credible information indicates that Iraq
and al Qaeda had discussed safe-haven and reciprocal nonaggression.
Since Operation Enduring Freedom, we have solid evidence of the
presence in Iraq of al Qaeda members, including some that have been in
Baghdad."
So those are the facts. And I think if you go and look back at
what the September 11th Commission report said yesterday, it's
consistent with that report.
Q Scott, let me try to take a stab at this because I think one
of the things that you're asserting there is a statement from the
Director of Central Intelligence, who has since resigned, who
apparently was the same one who told the President that it was a
slam-dunk case.
MR. McCLELLAN: That's not trying to say he resigned for reasons
other than were personal reasons.
Q People can make up their own minds.
MR. McCLELLAN: As he cited, for family reasons.
Q Okay, but they can make up their own minds.
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, well, you're trying to lump it all together,
though.
Q I'm pointing out that he resigned. And he also said -- you
quoted him as saying that -- he's also the one who told the President
that it was a slam-dunk case that there were weapons of mass
destruction in Iraq. Today -- as of today, there are not. And isn't
the issue that whatever the intelligence was about ties, any kind of
relationship between al Qaeda and Iraq, that for the Vice President of
the United States two days ago to assert deep, long-standing ties is,
at its most charitable, an overstatement of what the evidence shows?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, he's actually referring to exactly what
Secretary Powell outlined before the United Nations and what Director
Tenet outlined in open session to members of Congress. So, again, I
would go back to what we stated were the facts and what we knew. And
if you --
Q But that's in direct contradiction to what the 9/11
Commission has found.
MR. McCLELLAN: And if you look back at what we said, we said that
-- we said all along that Saddam Hussein's regime supported and
harbored terrorists, and that there were ties to terrorism -- including
al Qaeda. And if you go back and look at what was outlined before the
United Nations -- Secretary Powell goes to talk about how there was
support for suicide bombers in the Middle East who sought to undermine
the peace process, who sought to undermine the road map.
Q But, Scott, you're trying to make such a technical --
MR. McCLELLAN: Director Tenet --
Q -- argument, cherry-picking what you want to see.
Q Not Iraq.
Q And not only that, this President has said that he thought
that Saddam Hussein would like to use al Qaeda as a forward army, as
one of his forward armies. The 9/11 Commission is saying, contacts a
relationship don't make.
MR. McCLELLAN: David, you're just ignoring the facts. You're not
looking at what Director Tenet said. You're not looking at what
Secretary Powell said before the United Nations.
Q Scott, do you really think people buy this?
MR. McCLELLAN: And I think that you can seek to drive a wedge, but
there is no wedge there between what the September 11th Commission said
and what the facts --
Q Between what the facts are and what the reality is.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and what the facts are. You're talking about
impressions; I'm talking about facts.
Q No, I'm also talking about facts. The President said he
thinks that al Qaeda would like to be a forward -- that Saddam wanted
to use al Qaeda as a forward army -- his words from, I believe, October
2002 at a Michigan rally.
This commission has said after its own investigation, and you were
the ones who set up the commission, that there was no collaborative
relationship. So the conclusion -- the question and conclusion seems
to be that administration overstated the evidence that exists.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me finish what I was saying a minute ago,
David. I appreciate your comments, and I'd like to make some myself
because there are important facts that I think are being ignored here
in this discussion. The facts were very clear. They were outlined by
Secretary Powell before the United Nations.
Q Repudiated --
MR. McCLELLAN: They were outlined by Director Tenet to members of
Congress.
Q Powell wants know why the intelligence was wrong, doesn't
he?
MR. McCLELLAN: And again, if you'll let me finish, I would like to
go through some of this, because this is an important discussion to
have. It's important for the American people to have the complete
picture, and to have all the facts before them. And that's exactly
what this administration put before the American people in a very
public way. Secretary Powell, one of the key things he talked about in
his remarks was -- and let me just go back to those remarks -- quote
from Secretary Powell's remarks:
"Iraq and terrorism go back decades. Baghdad trains Palestine
Liberation Front members in small arms and explosives. Saddam uses the
Arab Liberation Front to funnel money to the families of Palestinian
suicide bombers in order to prolong the intifada. And it's no secret
that Saddam's own intelligence service was involved in dozens of
attacks or attempted assassinations in the 1990s. But what I want to
bring to your attention today is the potentially much more sinister
nexus between Iraq and the al Qaeda terrorist network, a nexus that
combines classic terrorist organizations and modern methods of murder.
Iraq today harbors a deadly terrorist network headed by Abu Musab
al-Zarqawi, an associate and collaborator of Osama bin Laden and his al
Qaeda lieutenants."
And he goes on to talk about Mr. Zarqawi. We certainly have seen
Zarqawi up close during --
Q After the invasion.
MR. McCLELLAN: He was in Iraq prior to the invasion, David. And
it's important to point that out to the American people. He had a safe
harbor in Iraq. He received medical treatment in Baghdad. And that's
what Secretary Powell talked about. And certainly, when you're talking
about a post-September 11th world, this President is not going to rely
on the good intentions of Saddam Hussein to protect the American
people. Saddam Hussein had a long history of using weapons of mass
destruction, of supporting and harboring terrorists, and he had a long
history of oppression in that country. He certainly knew what was
going on in that country. This was a police state in Iraq. And the
world is safer and better off because Saddam Hussein has been removed
from power.
Terry.
Q The New York Times says the President should apologize to the
American people. Also, are you saying that the 9/11 report is wrong?
Is that what you're saying that you reject the findings?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, I'm saying that it's consistent with what we
have said.
Q It is not consistent. They said this business on the nexus
-- sinister nexus is not so.
MR. McCLELLAN: Where did they say that?
Q It's in the story.
MR. McCLELLAN: Okay.
Q No collaborative relationship.
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Terry.
Q Well, I'll pick up on that, if I may.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well -- and we never said that there was
operational ties involved in attacks on the United States. Let's be
very clear about that. The President talked about that just a short
time ago.
Q What are people supposed to conclude, that they're having
lunch with each other?
MR. McCLELLAN: A short time ago in his remarks.
Q You talk about deep, long-standing ties. What is that
supposed to mean?
MR. McCLELLAN: Saddam Hussein supported and harbored terrorist
groups --
Q Why don't you just say the commission is wrong?
MR. McCLELLAN: All right.
Q Well, because the terms that you did use, "deep,
long-standing ties -- sinister nexus," and the President himself
saying, "By removing Saddam Hussein we have removed an ally of al
Qaeda," that means they are working together. Did Saddam Hussein and
al Qaeda work together, where and when?
MR. McCLELLAN: I disagree with your characterization about --
Q Well, what does "ally" mean?
MR. McCLELLAN: But Saddam Hussein's regime and al Qaeda had a
common enemy: It was the United States of America. And when you talk
about a regime that has a history of supporting and harboring
terrorists, and has a history of using weapons of mass destruction on
its own people and on its neighbors, and then you look at the world
through the lens of September 11th, the President made the absolute
right decision to go in and remove that regime from power.
Q That's an argument. Those are not facts.
MR. McCLELLAN: One of the most dangerous --
Q That's just an argument. The facts as determined do not bear
out that argument.
MR. McCLELLAN: One of the most dangerous threats we face in this
day and age is the nexus between outlaw regimes with weapons of mass
destruction and --
Q But you didn't find any.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- terrorist organizations. And the President
acted, based on the information that we outlined, and that you can go
back and look at. It's public information. Secretary Powell speaking
before the United Nations --
Q Who has repudiated his own testimony.
MR. McCLELLAN: -- and Director Tenet testifying before Congress
about these ties.
Q And just to button this down, the President stands by his
statement that Saddam Hussein and al Qaeda were allies.
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, if you go back and look at the facts --
Q I'm asking what the President would say today.
MR. McCLELLAN: He stands by saying that Saddam Hussein's regime
had ties to terrorism, including al Qaeda. And the basis of that is
what I pointed out in Secretary Powell's remarks and Director Tenet's
remarks. And that is consistent with what the September 11th
Commission said. The relationship and contacts go back over the last
decade.
Q One more on this.
MR. McCLELLAN: And they have a common enemy in the United States
of America.
Q That's your definition of allies. One more on this: the
information you are pointing us to all comes from before the war in
Iraq. In other words, it comes from that same -- we now know,
certainly, when it comes to weapons of mass destruction -- deeply
flawed intelligence. Since then, the substantial majority of the
leaders of Saddam Hussein's regime have been captured and interrogated,
and we also have, as the President likes to tell us, two-thirds of the
leadership of al Qaeda captured and interrogated. Is there anything
new that you can add, because the 9/11 Commission, the only new fact
they added was that two senior leaders of al Qaeda denied that there
were any ties at all.
MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, what they said was that there were
high-level contacts, going back for quite some time. And that's
consistent with what we said prior to going into Iraq and removing that
regime from power.
Q But I'm asking whether there is new information since the
war, developed from all of these leaders that we have captured on both
sides. We now have in our custody leadership of this alliance on both
sides. What have they told us?
MR. McCLELLAN: What do you want to dispute that Secretary Powell
said and Director Tenet said? I mean, let's talk about the facts,
because those were the facts that we outlined before making the
decision to go in and remove that regime from power. And so let's talk
about those facts.
Q Have they been borne out by these --
MR. McCLELLAN: It's nice to talk about these impressions and the
way people are trying to spin certain things, but let's talk about the
facts.
Q I'm looking for facts.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let's not ignore those facts. Well, the facts were
before the United Nations, through Secretary Powell's statement, and
they were before Congress, through Director Tenet's testimony.
Q What have we learned since then, from all this intelligence?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, obviously you learn more post the decision to
go into Iraq, and you learn more as you get information from those
detainees. And I'm sure that Director Tenet can talk to you about
those issues and give you a read on that. That's a very general
question you're asking me right here, right now.
Q Is there anything else that goes to the notion of an al
Qaeda-Iraq alliance?
MR. McCLELLAN: But if you go back and look at what we outlined,
and the facts, we stand by that.
Go ahead, Connie.
Q It's an established fact that past administrations did not
take adequate action against terrorists. Is there a lesson in this to
Iran and North Korea, and is the U.S. strong enough to mount any
offensive against those countries?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, Connie, as you know, we're pursuing
diplomatic solutions when it comes to North Korea and Iran. And we're
working on taking a multilateral approach to address those issues.
Certainly, when it comes to confronting threats, there are different
ways to confront different threats in different parts of the world.
And this President is committed to confronting those threats and
addressing them before it's too late, because September 11th, which is
what we're talking about here today, changed the equation and taught us
that we must confront threats before it is too late. And that's
exactly what this President is doing. That's exactly what he did in
Iraq.
Q Where was the threat?
MR. McCLELLAN: Saddam Hussein was a threat, he was a destabilizing
force in a dangerous region of the world.
Q Did he ever threaten the United States?
MR. McCLELLAN: And he was a sworn enemy of the United States of
America who had a history of using weapons of mass destruction both on
his own people and on his neighbors. He was a very destabilizing
force, and the world is better off because he has been removed from
power.
Q Scott, the last poll on the subject found that most
Americans, more than half, believe that Iraq had some hand in the
planning and the execution of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Do you
believe that the White House, the administration has done anything to
contribute to that misimpression? Do you believe that you have, in any
way, at any time, overstated the ties, the connections between al Qaeda
and Iraq?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's why I said we said a long time ago that
there was no evidence to suggest Saddam Hussein's regime was involved
in the September 11th attacks. We made that very --
Q After the war you said that.
Q Overstated the relationship in any way?
MR. McCLELLAN: We made that very clear.
Q Yes, in September, after the war you made it clear.
Q Two questions, one, what kind of message President Bush is
sending to the new government in New Delhi of Mr. Singh by designating
Pakistan yesterday a major non-ally status?
MR. McCLELLAN: Right, and we have previously -- and we have
previously announced that.
Q Indian officials in New Delhi are saying that there will be
an arms race between India and Pakistan. And now in the next two
weeks, they are going to have peace talks again in Delhi.
MR. McCLELLAN: It's important that that dialogue continue, and
that India and Pakistan continue to have close contacts and work to
reduce tension in that region, work to address these issues through
dialogue. We've made that very clear. We certainly have good
relations with both countries, and we will continue to build on those
relations and help to do our part to facilitate that dialogue so that
we can continue to reduce tensions in the region.
Q But how about --
Q Why don't we go back to --
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me keep going. Let me keep going because the
President is due to be speaking here shortly.
Q I want to go back to Kathleen's question. Do you believe --
you're saying that the White House believes that administration
officials bear no responsibility for this misperception of Iraq's role
in 9/11 that polls indicate a good half of the American people have.
Are you concerned about that? Two questions.
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you can go back and look at the
facts. And I think the American people recognize that Saddam Hussein's
regime was a brutal one. It was an oppressive one. It had a history
involving terrorism, and so you have to look at that and have to take
that into account when perceptions are formed. There are some facts
there that point to the dangers and point to reasons why people might
have those views.
In terms of this administration, we laid out the facts very clearly
for the American people. And it's important to look at the facts as we
outlined them. And it's important to look at it in the context of
post-September 11th. September 11th taught us that we must confront
these threats before it is too late. September 11th taught us that we
are -- or showed us that we are at war on terrorism. This was a
terrible tragedy that occurred on American soil, and it taught us that
we must confront threats that we face in the 21st century. That's what
this President is doing. And you have to look at all the facts that
are involved here. But we made it very clear that there was no
evidence to suggest that regime was involved in September 11th.
Q And you're not concerned about the -- it doesn't trouble you
that so many people have this misperception?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I'm dealing with the facts up here, and I'm
pointing out to you what the facts are in what we said.
Q It is a fact that --
MR. McCLELLAN: And I'm also pointing out to you that people looked
at Saddam Hussein --
Q -- that a number of people had this misperception. I want to
know if you're concerned about that. Does it trouble you that so many
Americans believe Saddam had a role in 9/11?
MR. McCLELLAN: Wendel, I don't -- I guess, I don't look at polls
and look at it in those terms. I think I look at it in terms of the
facts and what was said.
Q Scott, the AP reports from Little Rock that Bill Clinton
attended the world premier of the documentary The Hunting of The
President, a film "claiming to expose the 10-year campaign to destroy
Bill Clinton." The Washington Post this morning quotes Clinton as
saying, his fight against impeachment was, "a badge of honor." And my
question -- the first part of two -- how could President Bush possibly
reconcile his promise to restore honor to the White House with his
salute on Monday of this same convicted perjurer whose dishonesty under
oath required the restoration of honor promised by Governor Bush?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, first of all, the unveiling of the
presidential portraits is a tradition that dates back quite some time.
And the President was pleased to welcome the Clintons back to the White
House and participate in that unveiling ceremony. I think you heard
from him directly. In terms of these other issues, I think you might
want to address them to President Clinton.
Q There's a growing national concern that the World War II
Memorial's remembrance of Pearl Harbor, which quotes part of President
Roosevelt's "Date of Infamy" speech has deleted its undeniable climax,
"We will go on to the inevitable triumph, so help us God." And my
question: Will the President as a dedicated worshiper of God do
anything about this deletion of God or not?
MR. McCLELLAN: Les, first I've heard about it.
Q It's out there.
MR. McCLELLAN: You brought it to my attention. I'll take a look
into it.
Q It's out there. You will?
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead, Ken.
Q Scott, how much of a political problem is it for the
President leading into a reelection campaign that one rationale after
another for going to war in Iraq seems to be vanishing in terms of
credibility?
MR. McCLELLAN: One, I disagree with that characterization because
I don't accept the premise of your question.
Q So you don't see any political difficulty in these latest
revelations, the fact that there's no weapons of mass destruction?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think the American people recognize that we are
better off with Saddam Hussein removed from power. I think the
American people recognize that the decision the President made was the
right one because it was based on making the world a safer and better
place, and based on making America more secure. Saddam Hussein was a
threat.
Q That's not true.
MR. McCLELLAN: Saddam Hussein was a destabilizing force in the
Middle East. It is a region that has been a breeding ground for
terrorism. A free and peaceful Iraq will help transform that region
for the better, and it will help make the region safer. And it will
help provide hope to people in that region who aspire to be free, and
who aspire to have a better life. And in turn, it will make the world
a safer place for all.
Q And you don't see any political price to be paid for the
erosion of one justification --
Q Credibility.
Q -- after another before the war?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, see, I disagree with the premise of your
statement there. I don't accept it. The facts were clear. And we can
talk about what someone's impressions or perceptions may be. I'm going
to talk about the facts. And I think you should look at the facts.
Q Well, the fact is -- the fact is there's been no WMD found.
We clearly haven't been welcomed as liberators.
MR. McCLELLAN: And if you go back and look at the Iraq Survey
Group, they clearly pointed out that he had the intention and
capabilities, and he certainly had a history of using those weapons of
mass destruction. And let me point out, that was a serious violation
of the United Nations Security Council resolution. It's important that
our word means something. The President means what he says, and does
what he says he is going to do. Saddam Hussein was given ample
opportunity over the last decade to comply with his international
obligations. He continued to defy the international community. And
the President followed through on what was called for by the Security
Council in an unanimously passed resolution to impose serious
consequences on that regime if they failed to comply this one final
time.
Q What I'm trying to get you to address, Scott, is that the
political atmosphere surrounding this whole enterprise in Iraq clearly
has shifted if you read polls. More and more people doubt the
rationales for going to war. More and more people question --
MR. McCLELLAN: He doesn't make decisions based on polls, Ken. He
makes decisions based on what is right for the American people, and he
recognizes the most important responsibility he has is the safety and
security of the American people. And he is acting decisively to do
everything we can to win the war on terrorism so that we don't continue
to let terrorists carry out the kinds of attacks they did on September
11th --
Q I'm not trying to be argumentative, but clearly --
MR. McCLELLAN: -- or don't let terrorists get a hold of weapons of
mass destruction.
Q But clearly, the elections are decided by voters. Polls
measure the attitudes of voters. Those attitudes seem to have
shifted. Is there a political --
MR. McCLELLAN: And I'll move on after this response. But again,
the American people understand that the Middle East is a dangerous
region in the world, and that a free, democratic and peaceful Iraq will
help transform that region and it will bring about a more secure
America. It will make the world a safer and better place because to
win the war on terrorism, we not only have to go and confront the
terrorists before they can carry out their attacks, we have to work to
spread freedom and democracy. Free nations are peaceful nations. And
I think the American people recognize that, and they understand the
decision the President made was based on protecting future generations
of Americans.
Q Clearly, Scott, obviously, what you just said, the
President's reelection hinges in large part on whether enough people
believe that he made the right decision to do that. And how does he go
about -- given all this news and evidence to the contrary and all that,
how does he go about
continuing to make this case between now and the next four,
four-and-a-half months that the decision was the right one?
MR. McCLELLAN: Because you have to stand firm behind the
principles upon which you make decisions. And this President provides
strong leadership and stands firmly behind the decisions that he
makes. He knows the decisions he has made are the right ones for the
American people. You're going to go see him here talk shortly about
the economy -- another high priority for this administration. And he's
going to take on those pessimists. He's going to stand firmly behind
the decision that he made to remove Saddam Hussein's regime from power
because it was the right decision. And you heard from him directly in
the Rose Garden -- I mean directly in the Cabinet Room earlier today
talk about why it was the right decision, because Saddam Hussein was a
threat. And he was viewed as a threat by the international community.
He was viewed as a threat by his neighbors. He was viewed as a threat
by Congress. He was viewed as a threat by the previous
administration. And in light of September 11th, we cannot allow those
threats to continue build.
Q As a follow-up on my colleagues over here, do you think that
if this was March 1, 2003, and the 9/11 report had come out, and we
knew that there were no weapons of mass destruction, do you think the
American people would have supported us going to war?
MR. McCLELLAN: That's a complete hypothetical.
Q Scott.
MR. McCLELLAN: Go ahead. Bob.
Q As you know, the President's critics have said this was a war
of choice. The President told Tim Russert last winter, this was a war
of necessity. Given what's been learned about the weapons and about
the ties to terror, does the White House stand by that contingent that
this was a war of necessity?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, again, the premise of your question is
suggesting something on ties to terrorism that I disagree with. And
you're trying to go back to that there is a wedge between what the
commission said and what the administration said prior to the decision
to go into Iraq. So I reject the premise of what you're saying.
What was the first part of the question?
MR. McCLELLAN: Does the White House stand by the President's
assertion to Tim Russert last winter this was a war of necessity?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes.
Q On Tuesday, the American Enterprise Institute held a media
event where a video of Saddam's atrocities was shown. The tape showed
fingers being cut off, tongues being cut out, and beheadings. None of
the networks showed the tape. And few media outlets even mentioned
it. Did anyone in this administration ask that these images not be
showed to the American people?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, Jeff. But it is important to remind people of
the atrocities that Saddam Hussein's regime committed. Saddam Hussein
was a brutal oppressive dictator who carried out atrocities over a
period of years against his own people and against his neighbors. And
it's important that the public --
Q Well, how do you explain a virtual media blackout on these
horrendous acts, when every single day there are pictures about what
American soldiers have done in Iraq when these things are far worse?
How is there any explanation for that? Is there somebody in the
administration that doesn't want the American people to see that?
MR. McCLELLAN: I think you're going to see the Iraqi people hold
Saddam Hussein accountable for the atrocities that he committed. We
will be turning him over to the Iraqi people to face a tribunal by the
Iraqis for the atrocities that you mentioned. And I don't think the
Iraqi people will ever let people forget those atrocities. It's
important to remember that this was a regime that had mass graves,
torture rooms, and rape rooms, and engaged in the kinds of atrocities
that no one should stand for.
Q There is visual physical evidence out there. Why is not
being put out there for Americans to see and make their own judgment
against?
MR. McCLELLAN: Yes, I think I've expressed it from our
standpoint. If you're talking about it from the media standpoint, I'll
leave it to the media to address those issues?
Q Scott, have you figured out a formula to transfer custody
yet?
Q Scott, you said there is a misperception of what the
commission said on ties to terrorism and weapons of mass destruction,
let me ask you this, did this administration commit any mistakes? Are
you -- in other words, are you considered a perfect government?
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sorry? Do you consider what?
Q A perfect government. I mean you are not accepting any --
MR. McCLELLAN: You're talking about the government in Iraq?
Q No, this government -- the government of President George W.
Bush.
Q You're perfect.
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sure that there are mistakes that are made, but
talking about Iraq and talking about the economy and those decisions,
those policy decisions were the right decisions. Let's go to those
issues. Just a general question about any mistakes --
Q As we're talking about Iraq --
MR. McCLELLAN: The decision to go into Iraq was the right
decision. We stand firmly behind it because it made the world a safer
and better place, and it's going to make America more secure.
Q You probably don't see the headlines around the world today
--
MR. McCLELLAN: If you have a specific -- if you have a specific
question, I'm glad to address it.
Q But you don't think the commission is right with its
conclusion about there is any -- any ties between terrorism, al Qaeda
and Saddam Hussein?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, they talked about -- they talked about the
ties. They talked about the contacts between al Qaeda and the regime
in Iraq. And they pointed out some of those high-level contacts that
occurred. We pointed out some of those high-level contacts that
occurred through Secretary Powell, and through Director Tenet. It's
perfectly consistent.
Q Scott, I've got a specific question. Who are the doom and
gloomers to whom you are referring here on the economy? And by name?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, I think you hear from them. You know exactly
who they are. They're those who try to talk down the economy when the
economy is moving in the right direction. We have overcome significant
challenges over the last few years. And the economy is shifting into a
higher gear.
Q We've already heard you say that. But I'm just wondering,
you and your associates sitting over here like to lecture us about, who
are you referring to when you mention critics or observers or whatever,
so we're asking you: Who are these pessimists?
MR. McCLELLAN: Peter --
Q I'm talking specifics. What are specific names?
MR. McCLELLAN: And, Peter, these people are well known. All you
have to go is go and look and read the paper, or watch the news.
Q Well, give us a name here, Scott.
MR. McCLELLAN: The President is going to continue to talk about
his optimistic, positive vision for this country and how we can build
upon the policies that we have implemented to get our economy growing
stronger. Our economy is growing stronger every day. New jobs are
being created. This administration acted decisively to get our economy
out of a recession and get it growing stronger. And all you have to do
is look at the news, and you'll see who those individuals are.
Q On September 11th, there's some confusion about events, did
the President or the Vice President issue that order allowing
shoot-down of civilian airliners on that day?
MR. McCLELLAN: The President and the Vice President were in close
contact throughout the day, and the President authorized the Vice
President to go ahead with that decision.
Q One question on Afghanistan --
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me go here.
Q Just a quick question, has the President --
MR. McCLELLAN: The President is getting ready to speak any minute
now.
Q Has the President yet answered any of investigators'
questions on the CIA leak investigation?
MR. McCLELLAN: Look -- and I know we can go through this every day
-- and as I said the other day, I'm going to work to keep you informed
about it at the appropriate time. And I remain committed to that. But
I'm not going to go through every day, has he done this, or done that.
Q Just checking.
MR. McCLELLAN: I will keep you informed at the appropriate time.
Thank you.
END 1:20 P.M. EDT
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